Marco Escaped!

Marco escaped from the kitty carrier before my daughter left for the airport! Oh No! Little guy is wandering the streets of Denver.

Alone.

;-(

Hopefully he'll return home as soon as he's had his fill of snowy, cold downtown Denver.

Marco Is Coming To Town!

This little fella (Marco) is coming to visit for the holidays with his mistress (my daughter).

When The Violin

When
The violin
Can forgive the past

It starts singing.

When the violin can stop worrying
About the future

You will become
Such a drunk laughing nuisance

That God
Will then lean down
And start combing you into
His
Hair.

When the violin can forgive
Every wound caused by
Others

The heart starts
Singing

HAFIZ

Eldorado Canyon

Gorgeous hiking trails. Me and my asthma inhaler wandered around 10 miles at the foothills of the Flatirons.

Leadville, Colorado

10,152 feet. Highest town in the U.S.A. Drove here for a day visit with my daughter. It was a beautiful day. Snow was on the ground and in the mountains. Air's kinda thin up thar. We struggled walking around town. But it was worth it.

Isn't She Lovely

Tis the season . . . .

Denver, Colorado

Heading to Denver to see my daughter and her new kitten. Will be there long enough to enjoy Thanksgiving Dinner at 5280 feet.

Making My Own Bird Suet Cakes

I actually got suet. Melted it. Rendered it. Am adding chunky peanut butter, raisins, mealworms and sunflower chips to the mix. Help me, I've gone over the edge . . . .

It costs $1.99 at the bird store.

It's Interesting . . .

This summer I attended music camp. Worked very hard on Schumann Arabeske Op. 18. Refined it a bit. Fine tuned it a bit. Played it in the Friday recital. Came home and put it away. Completely saturated my brain with Schumann and needed a break.

Just pulled it out this week for the first time since July. I don't know what happens in the brain and the hands while Herr Schumann hibernates throughout my system, but the piece rolled out smooth and satisfying. More fluid. More at ease. More elegant.

Happy Birthday Momma in NYC

My Momma turned 81 years young this past June. Yesterday my sister and I took Mom to New York City for lunch. Does it get any better than that? Amtrak up and back. Lunch at Becco Restaurant on 46th and 9th just off Times Square.

My mother is Italian. Becco makes HOME MADE pasta.  Oh. Yum.
http://becco-nyc.com/about-us/

My Czechoslovakian Grandparents Danced Like This

My father remembers his parents dancing like this on stage.  I have one picture of my grandparents in similar costume.  She was pretty.  He was handsome. 

Picasso

Poulenc Novellette No 1 C Major Horowitz Rec 1949

Isn't this pretty!  Think I'll learn it. 

Chautauqua Institute, NY

Just spent a fabulous week at Chautauqua Institute.  What an amazing treat.
http://youtu.be/s14fhI3pdRU

I Worked Really Hard At Music Camp

See this pretty thing? I want one. I worked so hard at music camp. Now I want to lounge on this chaise while someone serves me nourishing food and drink. And then take long naps to recharge my brain. Poor baby got a tad fried.

What I Did On My Summer Vacation

I took a

to

rented a

drove to Lubec, ME

Spent a week taking lessons and practicing 3 -4 hours a day. It was an amazing week. Will do it again. And again. And again.

Summerkeys

Heading to Maine on Saturday for a week of piano instruction, practice and lobster. Can't wait!

Music from 'The Last Five Years'

I'm going to learn the score to this amazing show even if it causes my fingers to fall off. Which it might. Challenging rhythms. There are two very talented young performers who will do this show with me in my Living Room. Entertain family and friends. Fun at home evening of Cabaret.

Baltimore Blog - Mt. Vernon Scene from a 20 something perspective

Mt. Vernon, Baltimore, MD. Home of Peabody Conservatory. Walter's Art Gallery. Brewer's Art. And other stuff.

Fun blog written by two 20somthings living in the city and having a great time exploring all the fun, crazy, off the beaten path stuff that Baltimore has to offer.
http://acharmedcity.com/

Adult Amateur Musicians

I have created a Group called Adult Amateur Musicans. Dedicated to adult classical music students in the Baltimore/D.C. area who wish to meet other adult students and develop their musical performance skills in a non-competitive, supportive environment. All musical instruments and vocal students welcome. Please contact me if you are interested in joining an informal and fun musical community.

lisatate1@gmail.com

You can find Adult Amateur Musicians under GROUPS on LinkedIn.

Piano Season

It seems that the school year ebb and flow is deeply etched into our very being. I find I begin new pieces Mid-Summer with the focus on completion for the following Spring recital season.

Played in my teacher's end of year "Rep Class" this Saturday past. A little Schumann, a little Scriabin, some Brahms Waltzes duet style.

Very satisfying.

Now it's time to rest and recoup. Water the garden, spend time on the porch sipping iced tea, visit with friends.

Mid July I'm off to music camp in Maine, but for now it's time to appreciate this past year's efforts and give it a rest.

Stanley!

Look what we got ~

The Hummingbirds Are Back!

Teeny Tiny!

Let's Go Home

Late and starting to rain, it's time to go home.
We've wandered long enough in empty buildings.
I know it's tempting to stay and meet those new people.
I know it's even more sensible
to spend the night here with them,
but I want to go home.
RUMI

Our Doggie Died Last Night

This is Sam, our Corgi. He would have been 15 on the 4th of July. His full name was Uncle Sam, but as you can imagine, it was shortened to just plain Sam. He was a scamp. Sweet and happy. All he wanted was to be with us. And he was. We miss him.

Scriabin Prelude Op 31. No. 1

Time to move on and learn new pieces. This is the new Scriabin Prelude I'll be learning. 3 against 2, 4 against 3, gorgeous key changes, bars falling in funny places. A new adventure in the physical presence of sound. You can almost touch it . . .

Scriban Prelude Op. 11 No. 1

I've finally learned how to play this piece. It's very satisfying. Will play it in piano recitals this Spring.

Imagine a World in Which Cats Have Thumbs, Form Gangs, and Steal Your Milk

Imagine a World in Which Cats Have Thumbs, Form Gangs, and Steal Your Milk (click to see link)

This has nothing to do with music and everything to do with cats. If our cat had thumbs she would be part of a gang. She's amazing.

Beethoven Sonata

So. I played the beginnings of my Beethoven Sonata for my teacher today. Learned the first two pages. Got as far as the first 8 bars before he stopped me. "That's enough." And so began the detail. My trills were bloodless, my portamento deplorable. Ah me. Beethoven. And so it begins. Twenty three pages, TWENTY THREE!!!! For Pete's sake. What was he thinking? It's a musical version of the Gift of Gab. Honestly. It's going to take me FOREVER to learn all four (FOUR!!!!) movements.

I'm going to start looking like Herr Beethoven's famous cranky mug:

Beethoven SonataLand

My teacher has 'suggested' that I learn a Beethoven Sonata. This one.

Ok, I admit it. I'm not a big fan of Ludwig Von. I hear all you classical music fans shrieking. I hear you! But honestly, Mr. B. doesn't float my boat. Well, maybe he floats my dinghy. I actually like this Sonata. It's fun. To me - for what that's worth - Herr Beethoven has a sense of humor that plays out in various phrases, grace notes and trills. It makes me chuckle.

Wonder what he would think of that?

It's That Time Again

Whoo Hoo!

Summerkeys

There is an amazing music camp in Lubec, ME called Summerkeys. I was deprived as a child - never went to summer camp. Well, Girlscout camp one year. But, honestely, I was never much of a Girlscout. I like a bed. And hot running water. And no bugs.

But I digress . . . .

My kids spent summer after summer sailing small boats on the Chesapeake Bay. Periodically they raced in New England. I schlept (schlepted?) boats, boat parts, tons of sunscreen and kids up and down the coast so they could have these fabulous summers.

But I digress . . . .

It's my turn. It's a tad challenging getting to Lubec, ME. It's kind of up there and out there. However, flights to Portland are reasonable. Car rental is reasonable. Driving in ME during the summer is reasonable. Staying in a lovely ME town is reasonable.

Heck, it's worth it. I'm worth it. Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, Schumann and Scriabin are worth it.

Besides, if you've ever spent a summer in Baltimore, MD you KNOW Maine has got to be better. Dryer. Cooler. Softer.

My turn.

My piano was recently tuned. The technician said the Upper Register was open and beautiful (typical of a Mason & Hamlin piano), the Middle Register was opening and the Lower Register was in process. I Vibrationally Tuned the piano to help open the Middle and Lower Register.

Our music group came a few days later for an afternoon of piano performance. They all commented on how well the piano responded to their playing. Middle and Lower Register sounded significantly different.

The Book of Hours: Love Poems to God

I was in NYC last week - during the blizzard! Heard Renee Fleming at Carnegie Hall. She sang songs from "The Book of Hours: Love Poems to God" by Rainer Maria Rilke. Music by Brad Mehldau. This is No. VII. I found it very moving.

"Extinguish my eyes, I'll go on seeing you.
Seal my ears, I'll go on hearing you.
And without feet I can make my way to you,
without a mouth I can swear your name.

Break off my arms, I'll take hold of you
with my heart as with a hand.
Stop my heart, and my brain will start to beat.
And if you consume my brain with fire,

I'll feel you burn in every drop of my blood."